Saves N13 B In Use Of Local Tech
Local Contractors Now To Get More Priority In Tech Contracts
By Aaron Ukodie
The federal government has said the Nigerian Local Content policy, especially, as expressed in the President Muhammadu Buhari government Executive Order 5 is paying off.
The federal government spoke today through the ministry of science and technology and its agencies, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Office for Technology Acquisition (NOTAP).
Their views were made known at a Stakeholders Roundtable on the Use of Nigerian Software in Financial services.
Director-General of NITDA, Dr Isa Pantami, who was represented by Dr Chris Okeke said the country saved N13 billion from 2018 up till now due to the ban of foreign techs and the use of local contents. The amount is up from the N5 billion previously recorded.
He said the policy was boosting ICT, the economy, the gross domestic product and helping diversity in revenue generation. He also said about 95 per cent of government are now hosted locally
Dr Dan Mohhamed Ibrahim, who represented the NOTAP DG said Nigerian companies shall henceforth get more priority in the execution of science and technology contracts advertised by the federal government.
Nigerian companies shall however be allowed to partner with foreign companies where they do not have the local expertise.
According to him the country now is now more witnessing the 8-year implementation of the local content policy, adding that if you want a policy to succeed you should not compromise in its implementation.
He said NOTAP shall not approve any application for tech procurement or usage if it does not get approval from NITDA
NOTAP is currently compiling Nigerian companies, in Nigeria and outside of Nigeria that have relevant expertise and profession in the in the tech industry. Executive Order 5.
Representative of Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Professor Gloria Elemo, Director General at the Ministry, noted that the Buhari administration Executive Order 5 has provided the right catalyst for ease of policy implementation of the Local content policy.
She said the policy is a critical component on the use of software production in Nigeria.
The implementation of the Executive Order 5 reduced unemployment and induced growth and improve local content application of software in the back end of the financial sector, she said.
President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Presidential Executive Order Number 5 (For Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts, Science, Engineering and Technology) on Monday, February 6, 2018 with a view to improving local content in public procurement with science, engineering and technology components.
Executive Order 5 is said to be a demonstration of the Federal government’s efforts to promote the application of science, technology and innovation within Nigeria.
